I weep

If you have not been following this story in the news, former Deputy President Jacob Zuma of South Africa was standing trial accused of raping an AIDS positive activist. In addition to the accusation of rape, Zuma did not use any type of protection during the encounter, which he claimed was consensual. You might recall the president of South Africa previously said that he did not believe there was a link between HIV and AIDS and said that all you needed to do to not get HIV or AIDS was eat garlic and the South African potato. I am paraphrasing but you get the picture.

He was found not guilty. And the victim has been placed under protective custody – witness protection if you will – as her mother’s home has been attacked and her picture was being burned in the streets. She will probably have to be placed in a new city to avoid retribution. And yet the part of this trial that strike me most is the statistics posted towards the end of the article.

“Women's groups said the case has increased awareness of rape in South Africa, where reported rape is 114 cases per 100,000 people, compared to a rate of 32 per 100,000 in the United States.”

Even in this highly publicized court case when the accused rapist was found not guilty, South Africa has a higher incident of reported rapes than the United States. I ask you, which is the ‘civilized’ nation?